Joseph Phelps Cabernet Sauvignon 2017
- Vintage
- 2017
- Country
- USA
- Region
- Napa Valley
- Size
- 750ml
- Grapes
- Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec
- Rating
- JS95, WE95, WS92, WA91
Very aromatic with blueberries and blackcurrants, as well as red licorice. Floral, too. Medium-to full-bodied, firm and lightly chewy. Lovely depth of fruit here. Rich and flavorful. Extremely well done for the vintage. Shows more finesse and tightness than 2016. Very classic. One-third of the production. Try it. Drink after 2022, but already delicious. - JS95
This is a beautiful wine, effusive in cassis, black cherry, woody cedar and sage. With small amounts of Malbec, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, it offers substantial structure and tannin weight, with ample clove spice and toasted oak. It is built to age; enjoy best from 2025 to 2030. - WE95
Offers a chunky feel, featuring a mix of dark plum and black currant fruit, with singed mesquite, dried bay leaf, sage and licorice root notes. Shows youthful rambunctiousness, balanced by good underlying structure and ample fruit. Should resolve easily with cellaring. Best from 2022 through 2034. - WS92
This 2017 is a blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Petit Verdot, 6% Malbec and 1% Cabernet Franc, with most of the fruit coming from Phelp’s St Helena vineyard this year. “But,” winemaker Ashley Hepworth told me, “we declassified a lot of wine - sold a lot on the bulk market. We had some tough blending decisions.” Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon sashays out of the glass with open-knit, alluring baked plums, stewed cherries, mulberries and warm cassis with hints of spice cake, cracked pepper and tobacco leaf. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers a great intensity of black berry and exotic spice layers, framed by soft tannins and lively freshness, finishing with impressive length.- WA91
The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon has expressive blueberry, boysenberry and baking spice aromatics. A fresh and inviting wine with unfolding layers of juicy raspberry and red cherry, nutmeg, cedar and graphite with a medium-full body, seamless integrated tannins and a lengthy finish. - Winemaker's Notes
A Family-Owned Estate
Joseph Phelps Vineyards is a family-owned and operated wine estate with vineyards and wineries in Napa Valley and on the western Sonoma Coast. The winery was founded in 1973 by Joseph Phelps, a successful construction executive and entrepreneur whose early interest in wine led him to establish vineyards on a 670-acre former cattle ranch in Napa Valley. Over the next 42 years Joe became one of the most respected figures in the California wine industry, building Joseph Phelps Vineyards into a critically-acclaimed winery internationally known for its iconic wines and unwavering commitment to quality.
Joe’s son, Bill Phelps, joined the family business in 1998 after a successful career in law, and as Executive Chairman now oversees Joseph Phelps Vineyards with a continued dedication to excellence. The winery’s Board of Directors includes Joe’s daughters, Leslie, Laurie and Lynn. In 2016, third generation family members Elizabeth Neuman, Director of Business Development & Marketing, and Will Phelps, the winery’s Director of Hospitality & Consumer Sales were appointed to the winery’s executive management team. Today, the Phelps family is committed to maintaining and nurturing Joseph Phelps Vineyards as a family-owned and run winery and to extending the extraordinary legacy of its founder, Joe Phelps. - Information from www.josephphelps.com